Game apparatus



March 16,1948. M. F. HEUSER GAME APPARATUS Filed Oct. 15, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [N VEN TOR. Mfm/v F f l EusElg.

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ATTORNEYS.

March 16, 1948. M. F. HEUSER ,4

GAME APPARATUS Filed Oct. 15, 1945 s sheets-sheet s INVENTOR. Mf/O/V .E' HEUSE/ ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 16, 1948 TENT OFFICE GAllIE APPARATUS Marion F. Heuser, Cincinnati, Ohio Application October 15, 1945, Serial No. 622,351

2 Claims. (Cl. 273131) My invention relates to game apparatus of the type requiring a playing board and counters or playing pieces which during the contest by opposing players, are moved on the board by the players.

It is the object of my invention to provide game apparatus wherein a playing board is provided having grooves or channels for receiving what might be called the main playing pieces and wherein the movement of these main playing pieces is required to be limited by the rules of the game, and also to provide auxiliar playing pieces which are to be moved depending on the position of the main playing pieces. It is the object of the game to provide a board wherein the competing players will not only be required to move the auxiliary pieces so as to cross the board, but to be occupied with planning the movement of the main playing pieces in order to expedite the movement of their own auxiliary playing pieces while blocking the movement of the playing pieces of their opponents.

The foregoing objects and other obj c s Which will become apparent in the following descrip-' tion of the apparatus, I accomplish by that certain combination and arrangement of parts of which I have shown a. preferred embodiment.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the playing board.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the playing board with the playing pieces in a preferred position for starting the game with four players.

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 show fragmentary portions of the board showing how difierent plays are made.

The playing board i has a series of channels 2 arranged in a continuous pattern extending in a checkerboard arrangement across the board. The path of the channels is broken and diverted by means of permanently afiixed blocks 3 or series of blocks 3a.

The main playing pieces are preferably of square shape to fit in the channels 2 and are of two types; plain pieces t or decorated pieces 5, which have bands 6 extending across them in one direction only. The auxiliary playing pieces I may be of any desired shape having a lesser sized base than the main playing pieces 4 and 5, so that they can be conveniently moved on top of the pieces 4 and 5.

To describe how the game may be played, the game may be called Eliza-the playing board represents a river with the banks of the river indicated by suitable decoration. The main playing pieces 4 may be referred to as blocks of ice and the pieces 5 floating islands. The auxiliary playing pieces may be called Elizas.

The board may be set up as shown in Figure 2 with four floating islands and four blocks of ice arranged in the channels at each corner, The Elizas will start into play on the bank in a pathway as indicated at 8. It will be noted that some of the islands have their blocking bands extending crosswise with the direction of play and some in alignment therewith.

Any desired system of rules may be employed such for example, as drawing lots to see which player begins. Then the play may proceed by the other players in a clockwise direction.

The object of the game will be for each player to try to get his Eliza piece across the river before his opponents. The main playing pieces may be moved carrying the Elizas with them.

Rules for playing may be as follows:

The game is started by any player moving any one playing piece as far as possible in any direction or to move his Eliza as far as possible in any direction. After a player has made his move then it is the turn of the next player.

Playing pieces cannot be picked up or jumped.

The playing pieces must be pushed along the grooves.

A playing piece cannot be pushed by any other piece.

Playing pieces must be side by side when moving the Eliza from one piece to another.

Any piece can be moved with the Eliza on it.

Two Elizas cannot be on the same playing piece.

Playing pieces can be used to assist in getting across the playing board or to prevent the opponent from getting across.

A player cannot move the opponents Eliza.

Only one playing piece can be moved on any one turn.

Islands cannot be turned in moving along the grooves.

The figure of Eliza can be moved onto or over any island only if the direction of the cross band on the island permits, i. e., if the band is in the direction of proposed movement.

In Figures 3 through 6 fragments of a playing board may be seen showing diiferent possible moves. Thus in Figure 3, the possible movement of a playing piece from a block of ice over another block of ice, across an island across another block of ice, across another island and onto another block of ice. This is as far as the playing piece may be moved. Had one of the islands pre- 3 sented its band to block movement of the playing piece, that would limit its movement.

In Figure 4, the movement of a playing piece to a position blocked by an island is indicated.

In Figure 5, an arrangement of a playing piece on a block of ice which cannot be moved until one of the blocking islands at the sides is moved out of the way.

In Figure 6, movement of an ice block carrying the Eliza playing piece is suggested- It should be remembered that with one turn only one main playing piece may be moved, or one move of the Eliza piece, not both.

Of course, various set ups may be usedfor starting the game and from 2 to 4 players may participate. It appears that the arrangementof the island pieces where some have bandsextending across the board and some blocking movement in such direction adds interest to thegame;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters; Pat ent is:

1. A playing board having recessed areas thereon arranged in. a definite pattern,ithei recessed areas having lateral dimensions suitable for receiving main playing pieces of such size and shape as to fit within the recessed area's'andbe restrained to limited movement therein, said main playingpieces having fiat upper surfaces, and auxiliary playing pieces adapted for movement on the flat upper surfaces of the main playing pieces, some of said main playing pieces having no indicia thereon to indicate movement of said auxiliary playing pieces and other of' said 4 main playing pieces being provided with indicia for blocking movement of said auxiliary playing pieces.

2. A playing board having recessed areas thereon arranged in a definite pattern, the recessed areas having lateral dimensions suitable for receiving main playing pieces of such size and shape as to fit within the recessed areas and be restrained to limited movement therein, said main playing pieces having'ifiat upper surfaces, and auxiliary playing pieces adapted for movement on the flat upper surfaces of the main playing pieces, the pattern of said recessed areas being in continuous interconnecting bands, the angles of which are right angles, some of said main playing pieces having no indicia thereon to indicate movement of said auxiliary playing pieces and other of said main playing pieces being provided with indicia for blocking movement of said auxiliary playing pieces.

MARION F. HEUSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 249,963 Loomis Nov. 22, 1881 286,395 Decker Oct. 9, 1883 1,265,085 Ishida May'l; 1918 1,268,659 Wright .June 4, 1918 1,879,571 Spaulding- Sept. 2'7, 1932 2,399,041 Kleber Mar. 1, 1946 

